OTT Summer News Roundup
Summer is heating up and so is the over-the-top TV (OTT) industry. To help keep up you stay on top of this summer's happenings, we recap some of the latest industry stories from a few of our favorite thought leaders.
Cutting the Cord: 'A new way to receive the news'
Mike Snider, USA Today
72 percent of U.S. adults in 2016 receive news from a mobile device. In 2013, just 54 percent of adults received news from a mobile device. Just as smartphones are increasing in popularity, the intensity of which we tune into TV newscasts is decreasing. Just because that story has appeared on social media, doesn’t mean that we’re getting the whole story. It’s important to search for news in a purposeful way.
You can do this by downloading apps from several news sources, and following them via Twitter. As annoying as it may be to read your ex-best friend from high school's point of view on the 2016 election, remember that, by reading his or her opinion, you’re doing your civic duty by staying connected.
Joel Espelien, TDG Research
Back in June, Congressional Democrats staged a sit-in to protest the group’s inability to discuss a solution to gun violence. When the Republican majority halted the live video feed of the House of Representatives’ floor, San Diego Congressman, Scott Peters took to Periscope and live-streamed the event from his personal cell phone. This means two things for the future of TV.
One, events aren’t ‘real’ unless they happen on video. We now rely on video to truly comprehend the occurrence of events. Two, everyone has the power to be a broadcaster. With social media and the advent of easy-access live streaming tools, important events will continue to draw live streams.
You are still watching a staggering amount of TV every day
Peter Kafka, Recode
You may have heard that TV is dying. A recent report by Nielsen says that is just not so. The average American is watching about four hours and 31 minutes of TV per day. That’s spread across devices, too – live TV, DVR recordings and streaming services.
Americans ages 12 to 34 are watching much less live television than their older counterparts. They average between 15 and 24 minutes per day versus between 32 and 52 minutes for Americans 35 and older. This study is indicative that TV isn’t going anywhere.
What OTT-related news stories have surprised you the most this summer?